


Not Alone

by honeyfeyistrying



Category: No Fandom, Original Work
Genre: Breakfast, Canon Lesbian Relationship, Domestic Fluff, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Lesbian Character, Love, OCs - Freeform, Panic Attacks, Past Sexual Abuse, Projection, Sexual Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-22
Updated: 2020-07-22
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:22:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25435351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/honeyfeyistrying/pseuds/honeyfeyistrying
Summary: Ari Viers and Ella Parmisly live together in a small home together, spending each day creating art and relaxing, when a mysterious man shows out and forces demons to come back to life.
Relationships: Original Character/Original Character
Kudos: 2





	Not Alone

**Author's Note:**

> tw for sexual abuse mentions. no graphic detail but still. also tw for mushy lesbians. yes these are ocs.

“Hey Ari, are you awake?” She turned over, trying to convince her lover that she was still asleep, not wanting to greet the day. Ella strolled over to the bed, resting her hand into where Ari’s arm landed.

“Sweetheart, I hate to bother you, but I saw you move around. I know you’re awake.”

“No you don’t” Ari whimpered out from under the covers, trying to keep the sunlight away from her sensitive eyes. Ella sighed, knowing this was not a battle she was going to win, and crawled down onto the bed that was barely big enough for the two of them, pushing herself under the covers. Ari grabbed her, pulling her closer-despite the fact that they were side-by-side already-and held onto her tight. Ella smiled and put her arms around Ari, wrapping the limbs loosely around her waist. As they wiggled around to be comfortable, there was a knock on the door. Ella stood up.

“I’ll go get that. You stay here and relax.” Ella stepped through the kitchen, over to the front door, peeping through the eye hole. A short, bald man with thin, wire-frame glasses and a brown suit was standing proud behind the door, back straight and with a serious expression. 

“Who is it?” Ella questioned, keeping her eye on the strange man behind the door. He shook his head, clearly not happy to have to explain something that to him, was as simple as that.

“Edwin Phillips!” He pronounced, looking annoyed and moving his hands to pop his knuckles. Ella heard a loud noise from the bedroom.

“Oh, no” She whispered, worried that Ari might have gotten hurt, but not wanting to leave this man without explanation.

“Wait just a minute, sir!” Ella nearly yelled as she ran over to the bedroom and poked her head into the room to see what was happening. Ari laid on the floor, limbs placed in odd ways, head ducked to the side, placed in just the right angle that Ella couldn’t see her face.

“Who did he say he was?” Ari squeaked out, clearly trying to hide the best she could, although Ella could not tell why.

“Edwin Phillips, how come?” Ella raised an eyebrow, confused on why the man’s name had affected Ari so much. Even when they were in bad places, Ari was always the calmer of the two, using her cold head to help both of them through whatever the problem was. Ella stepped closer to Ari, placing her hand on Ari’s back and drawing little shapes. Ari shook under her touch and let out the most pitiful sounds. 

“Ari? Are you okay?” Even she, as tone deaf as she was, could tell the Ari was not okay, but she was hoping that she could get Ari to talk to her, so she could figure out what to do. All Ari could manage in response was to sob and shove her head down onto the bed, shoving the thick wool blanket over her head as her knees grated into the ground.

“I’m going to go see what he wants, okay? I’ll be back in just a minute.”

“NO!” Ari reached her hand up, grasping onto Ella’s arm in a vice-tight grip, leaving small marks on Ella’s skin, before she could take a step closer to the door. 

“Please, don’t let him in.” Ari turned to face Ella, pulling her over, and into a tight hug, and burying her face into Ella’s stomach. Ella wrapped her arms around Ari, patting and stroking her hair, whispering sweet nothings to her in hoping that it’d help her stop crying. Ari looked up at her, eyes puffy from crying, and with tear stains down her face, looking into Ella’s eyes for a minute, a look of pleading and misery before shaking her head, like she was trying to get something off of her, before pushing her face into Ella’s stomach again.

“Okay, I won’t, but once you’ve calmed down, we need to talk about this.” Ella wondered how she got through… whatever that was without crying too, as she wandered over to the front door, peeping out the eye hole to see if he was still there. As expected, there he stood, back as straight as before, but with his arms crossed and looking off to the side. Wow, if I thought he looked annoyed before. Ella prepared for a minute for what was about to happen, taking a deep breath in and looking at her bedroom door.

“Sorry, now’s not a good time.” Good job, idiot. Now he’s going to come back again.

“Now’s not a good time!” He yelled, face puffed up with anger, and his finger, covered in spots, tapped his arm. “You could have told me that 10 minutes ago!”

Had it really been 10 minutes? Ella looked over at the clock above the stovetop. 10:36. It really has been. 

“I’m so sorry, but I can’t answer right now. What are you here for anyway?” She hoped that she didn’t come off as rude, but she still tried to seem firm. As firm as I can be anyway. The man looked more than angry now, having a look of pure rage. The muscles in his neck tensed, making the veins pop out.

“To make a visit. Is Ari there?” Ella’s eyes widened. What did this strange man and Ari have in common. Whatever it was, it clearly was not good, given Ari’s reaction to him being here. Ella knew she’d have to make sure he didn’t know Ari was here.

“Sorry, no Ari lives here. Do you have the right address?” Ella prayed that her lie would be believed, because she knew that she did NOT want to deal with the consequences. She took a peek out at him again, and saw him staring at a small journal. He was whispering something, but she couldn’t make it out. I wonder what’s in that journal? 

“Are you for certain no Ari lives here?” The man’s voice drew her attention again. Please believe me.

“Yes, absolutely certain. Did you make sure you had the right numbers in the address?” Her foot tapped on the floor, and she tried to silence it, to make sure her nervous tick wasn’t caught.

Finally, the man sighed, and turned before yelling, “Guess I must have had the wrong address.”

She kept her eyes on him as he stepped into a long, expensive-looking vehicle, before rolling up his tinted windows and driving away. She ran through the house, closing all the curtains and making sure every door and window was locked. She quietly stepped into the bedroom, knocking on the doorframe as she did to make sure she didn’t scare Ari more.

“Hi Ari, he’s gone. Are you better?” Ari was still on her knees in front of the bed, but this time, she wasn’t weeping and gasping for air, but instead just stared at the linen on the bed. An improvement, I think? Ella slowly closed the gap between them until she was standing beside her again.

“Ari, sweetie, are you there?” She shook Ari, who in response looked up with pure horror in her eyes. Now’s not the time to discuss whatever just happened. Ella once again held onto her, giving her a few minutes to breathe.   
“He’s gone now, would you like to go eat?” Ari stared up at Ella, before shaking her head up and down. Ella held onto her arm as she helped Ari to her feet. Ari wobbled into the kitchen with the help of Ella, as her legs wiggled like jello below her, and her eyes struggled to focus. She sat at the small wooden table as Ella moved around the kitchen cooking, moving for the stovetop to the fridge to the sink like she was in a dance, her nimble feet lightly tapping onto the floor as she took each soft step. As Ari watched her lover prepare breakfast, her eyes slowly drifted into focus, as she could see more and more detail of her beloved. Ella’s soft, curly blonde hair that fell down her shoulders like waves washing over the shore. Her hands, powerful, being used to gently crack each egg open, to lay the bacon on the pan, to place the bread in the toaster. Her plump body, with soft and sweet rolls that were a delight to hold, and caress, as her lover would look at her, half asleep, with a look of pure love and calm. How did I deserve this woman? Ari thought as she watched Ella.

“Ouch!” Ella hollered. Ari snapped her head up, concern washing over her face. Ella stuck her finger into her mouth, looking over at Ari.

“Just some bacon grease.” Ari felt the panic within her drain out, and she went back to her thoughts, and back to watching her lover. She watched as Ella carefully drained all the grease out of the pan after placing the two strips of bacon onto the plates she had placed to the side, making sure to leave room for everything else. She pulled out the home-made jams from the cabinet, peach for her and strawberry for Ari, and spread over the toast, before lightly placing them on the different plates. She took the eggs off the heat, placing half of the scrambled eggs onto her place, and half onto Ari’s, before pulling the ketchup from the fridge and pouring some on Ari’s eggs. She knew just how much Ari liked on her eggs, and made a little smile out of the ketchup, before walking to the table, with a small sway in her step, and gently placing down the two plates. Ari looked down at her plate, with the slightly underdone bacon, over-jammed toast, and eggs that had a smile made from the bright red condiment, before looking up at Ella and smiling. Ella sat on the opposite side of the table, cutting the bacon into smaller pieces before using her fork to eat the small bacon pieces. There they sat, eating their food, looking up at the other, and occasionally chatting. 

Once they had almost finished eating, Ella looked up to Ari, before asking in as kind and calm a tone she could manage, “I feel like we should talk.”

“About what?” Ari asked, trying to play dumb, hoping that if she ignored the conversation, they would both forget. Unfortunately for her plan, Ella was not willing to let her play dumb.

“Earlier. When that man had come to the door.” Ella looked at her sternly, before her gaze softened. Ari squirmed in her seat, staring at the floor and wanting nothing more than to disappear. “Listen, I’m not mad. I’m not angry. I’m not even disappointed. I just wanna know what happened.” Ella went from looking upset, to concerned and worried. Ari sighed deeply. She wasn’t getting out of this one.

“Can we talk about this on the couch instead?” Ari looked up at Ella as she asked, worried that Ella would be upset. This is pathetic. All this over him coming to visit. I shouldn’t act like this. She doesn’t need me adding to her problems by freaking out like this. And after I tell her, she’ll worry and worry and worry. Or worse, she’ll see I’m just some broken freak and leave me. I’ll be all alone again. I should leave before that happens. I should go. Right NOW. I need to leave before she hates me.

Ari’s breaths started to come out labored again before Ella placed her hand on Ari’s arm and spoke to her quietly. 

“It’s okay, let’s move to the couch, okay?” Ari nodded, doing her best to remain calm. She stood up, resting her hands on the table as a crutch, her chair sliding away as she stood. Ella held onto her as they moved into the living room, taking a seat on the dark, brilliantly red couch Ari had gotten from her grandmother. Ari sat down on the left side of the plush couch, grabbing the blanket out from underneath herself and curling up under it. Ella sat down beside her, hands folded into her lap. 

“I knew him a few years ago.” Ari started, trying to keep her voice even. The last thing she wanted was to get Ella more worried. As she spoke, the story flooded back to her.

She was 17 at the time, a young, recent high school graduate, on her way to the big life. She had planned a meeting at 6 with the head of a program that would be a huge help to making her way in music like she always wanted to. She stood in front of the mirror, examining her outfit for flaws.

“I think this might be a touch too… flashy.” She looked at every part of her outfit. The dark blue top, cut just above the breast, with an even smaller black jacket with it. A matching black skirt, hitting just above the knee. The clunky heels. The small bits of jewelry, the shining silver necklace, a gift from her best friend at her graduation, a ring, silver with a small sapphire in it. 

“I might as well. If I get picky, I’ll never decide what to wear.” She walked over to her desk, picking up her purse and making sure all her necessities were in it. Phone, keys, wallet. I think it’s all here. She stepped out of her flat before making her way to the subway. Once she had arrived at the office, a large, off-white, almost grey, building with windows in every free place on the walls, she got excited. This might be my big chance! She fluttered into the office, nearly bouncing with each step, before stopping by the receptionist. She was an older woman, with thick red hair and sharp green eyes. 

“What do you want?” The receptionist eyed her up and down, clearly trying to figure out why a 17-year-old girl was standing in the lobby of an office building.

“I’m here to see Mr. Phillips, ma’am.” Ari tried to seem as calm and non-threatening as possible, in hopes that the receptionist would be more likely to let her through.  
“Name.” The receptionist spat out, not wanting to waste any more time dealing with Ari. 

“Arianna Viers, ma’am.” Ari kept her head down, not wanting to meet the receptionist’s eyes. She looked around the desk, looking for a name plate for the receptionist. Mary Stevenson. What an old lady name. The receptionist, Mary, typed into her computer, slow, staring down at her keys, making sure to type each letter right. How long DOES it take to write my name? She finally finished typing, and then glared into the monitor, her eyes moving across the screen as she read whatever she had found.

“Seventh floor. Don’t waste his time.” Ms. Stevenson clearly had not had enough coffee. She stepped onto the elevator, waiting as it slowly rose to the 7th floor. She stepped out. There were two offices, on opposite sides of the hallway. She walked to the doorway, entering Mr. Phillips’ office. The room was nearly empty, a lifeless husk of an office. There was a large, mahogany desk in the middle of the room, with a leather chair behind it. Off to the side, there was a bookshelf that was nearly to the roof, filled with thick texts. The man himself sat in the leather chair. He was short, almost 5’1, with thinning black hair and a nutty brown suit. He looked up after hearing her walk into the room.

“Ms. Viers! A pleasure to see you!” He stood, clapping his hands together, a broad smile on his face. What a kind man. She walked forward, extending her hand out to him.

“Mr. Phillips, it’s a pleasure to see you again, too.” As she spoke, they shook hands. His hands are… strange. They were clammy, and small, and seemed to stick to her’s. He guided her forward, offering her a seat in the chair in front of the desk. It was definitely not as lavish as his, just a small chair with a plush seat, but it was a nice seat. She sat down, careful to not move anything. 

“Mr. Phillips, what had you wanted to discuss today?” She looked into his eyes, a soft stare, filled with wonder. She leaned forward, curious of what he was going to say next. He chuckled and looked back at her, before pulling out some papers from his desk.

“You are a curious young woman, with an impressive record. I believe you have great potential, so I wanted to discuss business opportunities with you.” 

Oh my god, Mr. Phillips is wanting me to join his business. How exciting! Talk about the fast track!

“Sir, I’d love to discuss business opportunities. What types of opportunities are we talking about?” She leaned forward even more, eyes lit up with excitement. This is my chance!

“I’m interested in giving you a record deal. One guaranteed album, and then from there, we can see how the first one goes. What do you think?” If Ari was lit up before, she was lit ablaze now. She could feel the pure excitement in herself. Her stomach had butterflies, her head was fuzzy, her limbs shaking.

“Sir, I’d love to!” She stuttered through every word, struggling to speak as pure, overwhelming joy filled her.

“There would be a few conditions though.” Mr. Phillips looked down onto the ground. She deflated, her once over-spilling excitement bubbling down into a simmer. 

“What kind of conditions?” She turned her head, confused at what Mr. Phillips, a successful businessman, would need her. He already had everything anyone could ask for: a large house, a nice car, fun job, all the money he’d ever need. What would he need from some fresh graduate? 

“In exchange for the record deal, you give me some… favors.” 

“What kind of favors?”

“You’ll see.”

“I think you know what kind of favors he wanted.” Ari said, looking at Ella, praying that she won’t see what she expected. Disgust. Anger. Pity. Instead of any of those, Ella looked at her, held her check in her large, powerful hands, and smiled.

“Thank you for telling me this. I know it was painful, and it still must hurt, but I promise you, as long as I’m here, I’ll help you through. I’ll never let you go through something like that alone. I promise.” Ari started to tear up, and rushed forward to pull Ella into a hug. 

“Thank you so much.” Ari repeated over and over, tearing overflowing her baby blue eyes and pouring onto her soft checks.

“For what?” Ella questioned, confusion lining her voice as she held tight onto Ari.

“Listening. Being here. Not leaving. Everything.” Ari weeped, letting all of the pain and suffering she went through for 6 years out. Ella held her, whispering sweet nothing, until Ari fell asleep. As Ella carried her back to bed, she looked down at the love of her life. The woman she met 3 years ago in some stuffy bar. The woman who held her and took care of her after her sister’s death. Ari. She looked over to the bedside table, with a ring hidden in it.

“I love you so much, Ari. Please, keep loving me too. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

And in her sleep, Ari smiled.


End file.
